How to Make Chevre (Goat Cheese)

Since some of the recipes I'm going to include require different cheeses, I will in my best way describe how to make some of them. The first one is goat cheese. My friend who lives in Santa Barbara taught my nine year old daughter how to make chevre, which is a goat cream cheese, this is the closest I could come to the steps she described. I am waiting on confirmation from my friend on her technique. There is a nice recipe for goat cheese cheesecake in a few days, so stay tuned! If my instructions leave a little to be desired, here is another way to make goat cheese.

If you have access to goats or their milk, this is fairly easy to make and it will save a bundle when the recipe calls for goat cheese or cream cheese. The recipe can also be used with whole cows milk. This recipe does not call for Rennet so temperature is very important.

Basic Goat Cheese
fairly easy

Ingredients & Tools:

a large stainless steel cook pot, large enough to hold a gallon of milk, then some
1 colander
cheesecloth
1 gallon goats milk
1/2 cup lemon juice (lime juice or vinegar can be used)
salt to taste

1. Put milk into large stainless steel cook pot and slowly heat until milk is between 190 and 200 degrees.
2. Slowly add the lemon juice while stirring until all is added and mixed thoroughly into the milk, but only until it is added. Do not over-stir! It will curdle as it is supposed to do.
3. Let cool undisturbed until it is around 100 degrees (not too hot to handle with your hands) Add salt to taste, and SLOWLY either cut the curd, or stir, don't break it up into pieces smaller than a quarter. *see note*
4. Drain the cheese into a cheese cloth lined colander. If you use fine cheesecloth, double or triple it's thickness. Take the 4 corners of the cheesecloth and bring them together and tie them.
5. Hang the "dripping" cheese for about 4 hours.
6. Untie the cheese, mold it and chill.

*Note: If you are wanting ricotta, break the curd up into VERY small pieces.*

Do not use aluminum utensils and rubber sometimes has a "smell" to it that can transfer to the cheese, so use stainless steel. Depending upon the time of hanging you, can make anywhere from a ricotta (1 hr) to a hard cheese (12 hours). This cheese keeps for about 5 days in the refrigerator, but doesn't last long enough in our house. My son will eat a pound in one setting along with his cat friend Ed. Ed comes running when you say the word Chevre, lol.